\(o)/ Ride Height Adjustment woes \(o)/

As a few smartly recommended (Erica Moss) ride adjustment was “attempted” last night while we had the exhaust/shields off.

The guys spent 4 hours last night working on the ride height adjustment and made no progress other than removing more parts. The problem they encountered was the inability to line things up, even after removing suspension parts.

Is there is good thread or video you could direct me to? This job has been described as a real pickle, but do not want to miss any tips/tricks from those that have gone before us.

Thank you.

The front suspension on the E is about as ornery as you can get and it isn’t intuitive. I’ve done it on both of mine and all I can say is to read the manual.

We had the manual out, but even with following the steps, they were not having much luck.

Read through a few threads here, but did not have luck determining solution to our specific challenge. Unable to get the wheel(s) to drop down required amount.

Candiece,
Do you have a setting bar/link?
Regards
Chris
Cape Town

Were you able to remove the torsion bars from the tear drops and lower a-arm ?

This statement makes me wonder if we are on the same page (of the manual). The wheels should be long gone if the procedure on page J.15 (with revised data for the 4.2 from J.X.s.1) is being followed - Bentley page references. Please let us know how far through that procedure you have got, and where the problem is arising.

It’s really not a difficult job, just requires some patience. The ends do NOT line up perfectly, which is why its a bit difficult. You MUST use a setting link to hold the control arm in the correct position. You WILL have to pound the bar into the control arm, because it will come in at a slight angle. If you can’t get the rear bracket lined up properly, then you have to remove the front from the control arm, rotate it a single spline, and try again.

There is no reason for the whole process to take more than about an hour.

Its not but the challenge could be achieving your intended ride height…

If you don’t end up with the height you want, you adjust the length of the setting bar, then repeat the process.

Yes, but that’s where the blurred lines between science and luck lurk… :wink:

Are your tie rod ends binding up (if still attached)? There are some tie rod ends out there that are incorrect for the E-Type as they don’t have sufficient articulation for the range of motion for these cars.

Here is an historical tidbit that I found in an old Jaguar manual, and it had to do with ride height adjustment. It had to do with how we arrived at a satisfactory setting. When setting things right, a person, or and equivalent weight had to be placed in the driver’s seat when adjusting the torsion bars. Makes sense.

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Will check with husband and see what process specifically in the manual they were following.
As my back is out I was tackling other projects while they were under the car.

Yes, and heard them stating gas tank etc should be full which it is not and full interior not installed either. Could be a complicating factor? Not ready to put gas in tank so we need to replicate that weight or better to hold off on this task until gas will be added?

  1. Make sure all splines, inner and outer, front and back, are scrupulously clean and lightly coated with anti seize.
  2. Note that the bar not only twists it bends as well, and this makes working with it difficult.
  3. There is a position of the lower control arm (lca), mostly horizontal where there is no bending and where the splines fit partially into the lca without difficulty - that is without a hammer.
  4. It’s good if you have an assistant, so you don’t have to crawl in and out.
  5. Install the rear splined bracket (sb) over the rear of the bar facing the right way and put the rear of the bar through the hole in the frame.
  6. While your assistant holds the lca horizontal slide the front spline partially into the lca splines,
  7. Have your assistant lower the lca and install the setting link.
  8. Align the sb with the hole as best you can and then slide the sb rearward partially into the hole, and using a bolt see if the top hole on the sb aligns with the hole in the frame. You may have to pry the bar away from the frame with a bar to get the sb partially into the hole, and partially onto the splines, as in this position the bar is bent.
  9. If no bolt alignment remove the sb from the hole, and the setting link, raise the lca, pull the splines from the lca move and rotate the front splines.
  10. Repeat as necessary.

If you are using old bars you may have to repeat this job as the bar settles back to it’s old position.

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No - setting the torsion bars has nothing to do with weight in the car, full tanks etc. These only arise when you decide if your ride height is acceptable after the car is assembled, on the ground and driven 100 miles or more.

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I just removed and replaced the rear tie bar/link for a transmission replacement. When
I tried to reassemble, I couldn’t get the right side suspension A arm low enough to slide the rear splined ear into it’s original position. Problem was I had not disconnected the right side of the anti-roll bar link and it was keeping that A-arm from dropping. It came apart OK, but would not go back together. Make sure everything is disconnected on both sides…upper ball joints, steering arm ball joints, shocks, anti-roll bar.

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Sounds like they are not following the procedure in the manual. Setting the ride height uses a setting link that replaces the front shock absorber. It is not necessary to have the weight of fuel, driver, or anything else in the car.

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You MUST disconnect the sway bar and tie rods to get the control arm low enough to install the torsion bars. The setting position is well below the suspension “max droop” position, as the torsion bar must be FULLY unloaded.

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Ummm…I believe I said exactly that in my earlier post…

" Make sure everything is disconnected on both sides…upper ball joints, steering arm ball joints, shocks, anti-roll bar."

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